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8 May 2014

Astra Militarum - Unit Overview Part 3

Greetings Sergeant, this is Company Commander Lernius Eelo of the 66th
Cadian Defence Regiment. Your latest correspondence has indicated a 19%
decrease in casualties for your squad as your soldiers have now adapted
the standard practice of two carrying a heavy weapon rather than one
unfortunate man or woman. This is an acceptable but expected change,
though I am displeased to hear that you are still uncertain of a
Guardsman's place in the Astra Militarum. As you must have full
awareness of both the handle and the head of a hammer when striking a
ferocious blow, so too must you learn to grasp the many elements of our
great forces in your hands simultaneously. I therefore feel it is
necessary to continue this personal, unofficial training. If you have
any queries, please do not hesitate to respond when you are able.
Remember; to seek advice is not a sin, as knowledge is power.This is Part 3 of the Astra Militarum Unit Overview series.Heavy Support

Leman Russ Battle Tank - This is the primary Leman Russ variant and used to be the least expensive, coming stock with an all powerful Battle Cannon. Well, that last bit needs some clarification; an Ordnance Strength 8 AP3 large blast is powerful and good at killing medium to light infantry as well as medium to light vehicles, but on Ballistic Skill 3 it is very inaccurate. The lack of Ignores Cover and the AP value mean it isn't that great against masses of infantry and nor does it do so well against vehicles except to maybe strip a hull point. The Battle Tank is a "generalist", but is too expensive to fill that role well; this is because its main gun is Ordnance and precludes all of its other weapons from firing at full Ballistic Skill. Contrast this to the 5th Edition variation which could move 6" and shoot all of its weapons at full Ballistic Skill rather than just the Battle Cannon and it isn't difficult to see the sorry state the Battle Tank finds itself in. Most confusing of all is that each of the non-Ordnance Leman Russ variants received hefty points drops, but both the Battle Tank and Demolisher remained the same despite now suffering heavy penalties for entertaining additional weapon upgrades. To sum it all up, the "generalist" isn't even needed with specialist units like Wyverns and Vendettas performing those roles far more effectively. Change? Weaker.Competitive? No.

Leman Russ Exterminator - This is a much derided Leman Russ variant that suffered from being inefficient compared to the mediocre Hydras with similar weapons. Four twin-linked Strength 7 AP4 shots isn't terrible firepower, of course, but did it really belong on a nearly 200 point Leman Russ tank? With a significant points drop, the Exterminator might actually have a reason to exist now; as a very durable anti light vehicle unit. Strength 7 sits in that nice little niche where it can hurt most vehicles and reliably get penetrating hits against AV 12 and lower, while it wounds most monstrous creatures on 3s or 2s; all of this coming with a good to high rate of fire. Unlike the Battle Tank, the lack of an Ordnance weapon and a nice 20 point drop means the Exterminator actually did receive a buff, but I'm just not sure if it deserves a competitive rating. Are those points worth it for what will effectively mount to a survivable Rhino killer when you could take six Heavy Weapon Teams with autocannons packing in triple the firepower that can all hide in units at roughly the same cost? Thankfully, that cost reduction means you can take the same tank as before with a pair of heavy bolter sponsons that puts out nine Strength 5 shots and four Strength 7 shots, all at the same price as a stock Battle Tank. That is cost efficient, and it can all fire even on the move. If the Exterminator wasn't on a Leman Russ chassis then I probably wouldn't recommend it as you can get all that firepower elsewhere, but as a Leman Russ it is both a Heavy vehicle and very survivable. Still...you have to ask yourself if you need more Strength 7 when it can be found in such high quantities in almost every other Force Organization Chart slot in the codex. The Exterminator itself is a good tank, but it isn't as necessary as the other variants because it brings what you should already have plenty of. Like the tank below it, I'm going to "grudgingly" rate it as competitive because at the least it is still cheap and brings a good source of firepower for the points. Change? Stronger.Competitive? Yes.

Leman Russ Vanquisher - Another Leman Russ variant that rarely saw competitive use outside of specific builds - the Armoured Battle Group and Knight Commander Pask come to mind - because of its inaccuracy, the lowered cost gives the Vanquisher some much needed breathing space. While the types of tanks a Vanquisher prefers do still pop up, they are becoming increasingly rare. You simply don't see massed AV14 nearly as much as before, and anything below AV14 can be dealt with very handily by all the long range Strength 7 and short range Strength 8 in the codex. The Vanquisher is a cheap AV14/13/10 tank, obviously, but its main gun is unreliable with but a single shot lacking re-rolls at Ballistic Skill 3. That it lacks Ignores Cover means that you will generally be better served with mass Strength 7 against skimmers and vehicles on a board with lots of terrain. The Vanquisher's near mandatory hull lascannon upgrade did get slightly cheaper, and it does get some much needed and worthwhile buffs from adding a Tank Commander. Unfortunately I just don't see this being one of the more useful Leman Russes when it will only hit roughly three times out of six shots in a standard six-turn game, and one or more of those could either be mitigated through bad armour penetration rolls or cover and invulnerable saves. Prescience does help the Vanquisher a lot, but I feel Punishers and Executioners benefit so much more from that particular psychic buff in terms of damage output. I'm going to rate these as competitive solely because the points drop and easily accessed re-rolls means it has become the most reliable anti heavy vehicle unit in the book - as it should be - but it really requires support from Primaris Psykers. Change? Stronger.Competitive? Yes.

Leman Russ Eradicator - The recipient of the "cheapest AV14 vehicle in the game" award, the Eradicator is insanely inexpensive for what it brings to the table. An Ignores Cover Strength 6 AP4 large blast template that can be freely fired alongside up to three heavy bolters on the one tank brings anti-infantry punishment the like of which few units in the game can mimic. It isn't all that accurate, but at such a low cost it is hard to complain about the Eradicator after receiving a whopping 40 point drop. The 36" range of the Nova Cannon gives the Eradicator a 42" effective range as opposed to the Hellhound's effective 32" range, and the Eradicator is far more survivable than the modified Chimera. Of course, a Torrent template is far more precise and deadly than a large blast, but the fact the Eradicator is so much more survivable, can pack lots of extra firepower and is actually five points less base means there are now merits to its inclusion. There's just one problem, and it is a big one; the Wyvern was introduced in this codex. If you want to rid yourself of light infantry, the Wyvern does it better than any other unit in the codex, the Eradicator included. Despite this "flaw", I still think the Eradicator is a great unit and is very cheap for what it brings.Change? Stronger.Competitive? Yes.

Leman Russ Demolisher - The other Leman Russ packing an Ordnance weapon, the Demolisher suffers all the same problems as the Battle Tank in 6th Edition. Because I've already spoken about what is wrong with them, I'll be quick here and point out that the Demolisher received a rather confusing five point increase to its base cost. I'm not sure if the rules designers realized just how massive a nerf the removal of Lumbering Behemoth was, but seeing the Battle Tank and Demolisher stay roughly the same in price is definitely disappointing. Still, the Demolisher does have an edge over the Battle Tank in that it brings a scary as heck Strength 10 AP2 large blast. While the weapon lacks the godly Ignores Cover and AP1, it is still terrifying to most opponents and the Demolisher becomes a useful terror weapon for that reason alone. Now that the other Leman Russes have seen adequate points adjustments, I'm not sure the Demolisher has a significant standing anymore.Change? Weaker.Competitive? No.

Leman Russ Punisher - Hoo boy, the difference a 40 point drop makes! The Punisher was already one of the better Leman Russ variants because of how destructive it was against the trio of light vehicles, monstrous creatures and infantry, but the huge reduction in cost sees it jumping up to the top tier of Leman Russes. Give them a pair of heavy bolter sponsons and you will have yourself a tank that, for barely more than a century and a half in points mind, will be dishing out twenty-nine Strength 5 shots all the while moving 6" a turn. The Punisher is probably the second best recipient of Prescience from a Primaris Psyker in terms of Leman Russes, with the Executioner leading the way; re-rolling to hit with so many Strength 5 shots is bound to have good results! Speaking of which, that usually averages out to about 22 hits rounding up for something like 7 wounds inflicted on a Toughness 6 monster before applicable saving throws. For the points, that is pretty damn powerful!Change? Stronger.Competitive? Yes.

Leman Russ Executioner - This is a unit that I feel the community was too quick to avoid due to one bad change. It received a massive 45 point drop if you include the almost mandatory pair of plasma cannon sponsons, and in exchange it saw Gets Hot added to the main gun as well as potential damage applied from Gets Hot rolls for vehicles. The "Plasmacutioner" is a moving death ball of Strength 7 AP2 blasts that for quite a bit under 200 points is one of the deadliest and most survivable sources of plasma in the game. An Exocrine might have all the benefits of being a monstrous creature, no Gets Hot and being able to throw out six regular shots, but for sheer durability and firepower the Executioner gives it a big run for its money at a very similar price point. The difference between the two comes down to the insane buffs an Executioner can get through cheaply accessed Prescience from a Primaris Psyker. Re-rolling to hit with five small blasts, and re-rolling failed Gets Hots rolls means the Executioner gets by far the most benefit from Prescience of any Leman Russ. One of these buffed with re-rolls to hit will absolutely demolish entire units at a time with little difficulty and even makes a mockery of medium vehicles and most monstrous creatures. If Terminators didn't suffer enough already at the hands of 6th Edition, the newly reinvigorated Executioner will surely sentence them to a most terrible end.Change? Stronger.Competitive? Yes.

Hydra Flak Tank - Oh how the mighty have fallen. 6th Edition really has not been kind to the Hydra, as ironic as it might seem with its main quarry in flyers finally being introduced properly. Making it a Skyfire platform without Interceptor reserves it to an anti-air tank only, whereas before it was the most efficient source of Strength 7 AP4 in the game and made headlines at tournaments everywhere. While it has received a neat little 5 point drop in the new codex, the fragility of Hydras and lack of Interceptor for dealing with flyers before they themselves are destroyed means that it simply isn't enough. To make matters worse, the Hydra lost its pseudo-Ignores Cover against Skimmers and Flyers which was worth far more than 5 points and actually did give the Hydra some kind of potential competitive usage. The changes to the Hydra both with 6th Edition and the new codex ensures that it won't be popping up in tournaments commonly for the foreseeable future, sadly.Change? Weaker.Competitive? No.

Basilisk Ordnance Battery - Barrage weapons saw a lot of changes in 6th Edition, but the way the game suits "buff characters" supporting large squads of infantry gives more positives than negatives I feel. In that sense, you could just say the Basilisk has improved for those reasons alone with no actual points change, but the buffs it received go further than that. Getting rid of the whole "Strength halving on blast and large blast weapons if the hole wasn't over the vehicle" crap means the Basilisk has become far stronger against vehicles, while working out cover from the centre of the large blast is a big counter to many sources of cover. The Basilisk is inaccurate, but a Strength 9 AP3 Ordnance Barrage large blast is still as devastating as they come and gives most other artillery units a run for their money. This iconic piece might not be as good as it could be, but it received some major buffs from 6th Edition. I do think though that it is too inaccurate and costly to be a truly top tier choice as its insane range is unnecessary on any conventional gaming board, but the Basilisk is definitely one to try out.Change? Stronger.Competitive? Yes.

Wyvern (New Unit) - I have already talked at great length about just how good the Wyvern is, so I'll try and be brief here. For the same points cost as a Space Marine Whirlwind, a Wyvern fires four small blasts at Strength 4 AP6 and features Ignores Cover, Twin-Linking, Shred and Barrage packed into one steaming toast sandwich. It has identical defensive stats to a Hydra as an open-topped AV 12/10/10 vehicle with three hull points, and it can be taken in squadrons. This is without a doubt the deadliest and most efficient infantry killer in any 6th Edition codex so far, and probably the entire game. Taking at least one squadron consisting of between one to three Wyverns is almost mandatory for any competitive list because they are entirely self sufficient and ridiculously cheap.Competitive? Yes.

Manticore - What a beast of an artillery tank the Manticore is. Four rounds of shooting before exhausting its ammunition, and each of those four turns sees D3 Strength 10 AP4 Ordnance Barrage Large Blasts fired with an incredibly long range. This thing just annihilates almost anything it touches that isn't a Toughness 6 or higher monstrous creature, while its low survivability is offset by being able to hide and shoot. The changes to Barrage provided a huge boost for the Manticore in 6th Edition and saw it sky-rocket to the top tier of Imperial Guard units two years ago, and now it has seen two minor downgrades. The first is a decent ten point drop that tries to make up for the ridiculous buff the Manticore got with 6th Edition, and the second sees the artillery unit lose the ability to fire directly. The latter means it will never benefit from its Ballistic Skill of 3, but it can at least still fire at units within its 24" range. Ultimately, the Manticore is still a fantastic unit and one to consider in any competitive army list.Change? Stronger.Competitive? Yes.

Deathstrike - The original non-Escalation Destroyer weapon for regular games of Warhammer 40,000, the Deathstrike Missile Launcher is a mostly similar unit to before but with a few handy improvements. The changes to Barrage were already sort of included in the Deathstrike's 5th Edition rules, but sniping models is certainly a new advantage it gained. The guaranteed huge size of the blast marker is also a buff, while just having a Strength 10 AP1 Ordnance Barrage weapon with Ignores Cover is a great tool in a 6th Edition context with more hordes and blobs than ever. The slight reworking of the way it is delayed and fired gives the Deathstrike another little boost, and it all adds up to what is a much better unit. Sadly, this is still very much a "for fun" or "themed" unit choice because the insane damage output is only there for one turn as opposed to a Manticore's four turns, while the Deathstrike has no guarantee of even firing once despite it not being destroyed on game turn one. It is costly, unreliable and its weapon is inaccurate and not as good in a monstrous creature heavy meta as it would have been in 5th Edition, despite all those blobs. The Manticore is the more reliable and efficient of these artillery pieces, and as such I can't really recommend the Deathstrike Missile Launcher competitively.Change? Stronger.Competitive? No.

Summary!
The majority of Leman Russ variants saw significant improvements through price drops and 6th Edition changes, but the new rulebook did see the Ordnance variants decrease in value tremendously. Heavy Artillery units such as the Manticore and Basilisk are better than before with the Barrage tweaks, while Hydras and Deathstrikes either saw disappointing reductions in effectiveness or none at all to justify their cost. The new Wyvern is a fantastic unit and is sure to make a big splash in the competitive scene.

I must commend you for your bravery and perseverance to seek out my aid in understanding the many elements of an Astra Militarum tactical strike force. If ever there was a time to seek out knowledge and use its power against the foes of humanity, it is now; in this time of traitors, of xenos and of deathly storms. I look forward to your continued progress and improvement on the field of battle, and I do hope that your recent encounters have given you the necessary experience to survive in this hellish universe of war. Our lives are but momentary, but our faith is eternal. For the Emperor and the Imperium! Cordially, Company Commander Lernius Eelo of the 66th
Cadian Defence Regiment.